The Progress., 1887-12-03
WHITE EARTH AGENCY, MNEsoT SATURDAY DEcEMBER > -

ans, who would according to the
foregoing estimates, contribute at
least three-jourths Of the amount
to that fund! while no further
benefits would accrue to them
than to those who contri ibuted
nothing, and whose numbers per
capita would exceed those Of the
Mississippi bands.
Under the proposed treaty, al
lotments of land are made as fol-
lows: STo each person under Is
years of age, 40 acres; to each
person over eighteen years Of age,
80 acres; and to the head of each
family, 100 acres; a married Wo-
man if not the head of family,
receives no land. Under existing
treaties any Indian'- every person
belonging to the Mississippi
bands of Indians, is entitled to 100
acres Of land on the White Earth
reservation, under conditional
rules which are easily complied
with (and of which many Of our
people have already availed them
selves, and hold certificates for
the stipulated 160 acres of land).
Therefore the proposed treaty re-
qulres every person belonging to
that band, other than those who
already hold certificates to relin-
qish without remuneration, GER
tain amount of land as follows:
each person under eighteen years
of age, 120 acres; each person over
18 years of age, so acres; and ev-
cry married woman not the head
of a family, 100 acres; for instance,
a family consisting of five persons,
viz: a. husband and wife, and three
children if under IS years of age,
relinquish $40 acres Of land or an
equivalent to a cash value Of 81, 600
it worth the nominal price Of $500
per acre! The pretext for this is,
con account Of the insufficiency
of arabic land to give each 100
acres, if the Minnesota Chippewas
should be consolidated on the
White Earth reservations
| wish to be distinctly UNDER
stood as favoring consolidation at
White Earth, but it should not be
effected at the expense of the
Mississippi Indians, nor without
the "oonsent Of at least two-th'Yds
of the band'' to open the said res
ervation to other Indians, which
has not as yet been obtained, as
we propose to show further on,
Notwithstanding the statement of
Of the Northwestern commission
to the contrary.
Should the consolidation be ef-
fected under the proposed treaty,
one can discern in the future of
the Mississippi bands much dissat.
isfaction amongst them; a great
deal Of dissension regarding the
distribution of funds between
them and other Indians not be.
longing to that band who may be
removed to White Earth, and con-
sequently continual wrangle will
arise, greatly tending to lessen the
progress Of all towards that long
sought and much desired conclu-
sion, a peaceful, prosperous and
civilized community.
| No agreement, so far as it re-
lates to the Mississippi bands and
the opening Of the White Earth
reservation to other Indians has
been effected, as only eighty per
sons out Of a tribe numbering
nearly 5000 persons, actually
signed the proposed treaty.
| The commission claims in it's re-
port that thirty four persons signed
the treaty at White Earth, eight
cen at White Oak Point. twelve
at Mile Lac, and twenty-four at
Gull Lake, making in all ninety
three persons only, of the entire
Mississippi bands who signed the
treaty. This includes those who
had no right to sign any agree
ment efecting the Mississippi's 5 In
terests, and those who it is claimed
signed by proxy.